[Vision2020] The UI Friday Letter

[Tom Hansen]

The Friday Letter
A Newsletter for University of Idaho Alumni and Friends
July 23, 2004

Here's the latest news at the University of Idaho:

* The University of Idaho Foundation looks to book another $16.2 million 
in private gifts to the university, according to preliminary reports for 
the fiscal year which ended June 30.  In addition, the Foundation 
leadership is continuing their relentless work to resolve the financial 
issues left in the wake of the troubled University Place project in 
Boise. A note of appreciation is in order for the hard work of the 
volunteers and the many alumni and friends who continue to support 
academic excellence and student achievement at the University of Idaho.

* UI and City of Lewiston recently dedicated a cooperative tree planting 
and research project. The project will bring beauty to Lewiston's new 
Syringa Park and provide valuable information for westerners. "The thing 
that is most exciting to me is that it is such an excellent partnership 
between the city and the university," said Mike Bowman, Lewiston's city 
forester. The location reflects the spirit of cooperation as well. 
Syringa Park was created through efforts by neighborhood residents, 
Bowman said. The park is one of the city's newest and is located in the 
city's southwest sector near the Lewiston Country Club.

More than 70 trees were planted this spring. In a few years, the Syringa 
Park planting will rank among the largest testing grounds in the West 
for ornamental crabapple trees, said John Lloyd, a UI professor with the 
Urban Landscape Ecology Laboratory at Moscow. When planting is complete, 
Lloyd said, the park will contain 400 crabapple trees representing 80 
different cultivars. Syringa Park will serve as one of six test locations 
chosen nationally. 

UI students will participate in the project, which will test the fitness 
and appeal of new crabapple cultivars in Idaho's arid climate. The 
research will include the effects on the trees of landscape maintenance 
practices and the effects of compost or bark mulches and other treatments.

* Jay D. Kenton, the university's new vice president for finance and 
administration, is on the job. Most recently vice president for finance 
and administration at Portland State University in Oregon, Kenton began 
working in higher education finance 20 years ago. He holds a Ph.D. in 
public administration and policy from the Hatfield School of Government 
at Portland State, a master's of education and a bachelor's in business 
administration from Oregon State University.

* Demetrios Kazakos has been appointed as professor and chair of UI's 
Electrical and Computer Engineering Department after a national search. 
He came from the University of Toledo where he was professor and chair 
of its electrical and computer science department. With 31 years of 
experience in academia, Kazakos is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical 
and Electronics Engineers and has a scholarly track record in 
communication theory and wireless communication. Kazakos succeeds former 
ECE Chair Joe Feeley, who now resides in McCall and held the post for a 
decade before his retirement.

Take care,

Tom Hansen

Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!" 
-Robin Williams